TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

I figured, what the hell, I have the plugs/wires in my trunk, it's a beautiful day, let's take the InstallUniversity writeup out to the car and knock this **** out, right? WRONG.

#1 plug, I broke the white tip off. Thank god the ******* bolt is still in the head. Won't budge at all.

#3 plug won't even BUDGE at all, either.

Any ideas? Stock ******* plugs, 98.5k miles.

Taspeed

iTrader: (1)

use more leverage. They will all come out. They are also at an angle and if you put too much leverage in the wrong direction they will break the porcelain. Won't hurt anything as you just need to unscrew it from the head. Be careful however putting the plugs back in. You want to start them with your fingers and they should just screw right in. DON'T CROSSTHREAD THE PLUGS PUTTING THEM IN!!

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

I'm using damn near all I've got and I'm scared as **** of breaking the bolt off in the head. When I heard "crack" I almost starting crying. I'm no weak dude either, but goddamn if the plugs don't seem like they are part of the head LOL. I'm using a ratchet with a 3" extention, might be 2" but I dunno, it's an extention, nonetheless. I've changed plugs/wires on my 79 TA in 45 minutes before, it's been an hour and a half and I haven't even gotten a plug LOOSE yet.

schultzsj

iTrader: (1)

I realize that this does not help you but I am not surprised that plugs left in for 7 years and almost 100,000 miles (this is how I read your post) are stuck. I would try some penetrating oil and they should eventually come out but maybe this can be a lesson for others not to leave plugs in that long.

I sincerely do hope you get them out without too many more problems.

Steve

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

Yup, my buddy had the car before me and he bought the plugs and wires but was scared to change them himself 'cause he swore you couldn't even GET to them. Getting to them isn't a problem at all, I can get the socket/extention on every plug but #8 and I have a 1" swivel for that, but damn, they won't even SQUEAK or turn at all.

If I was to buy a new LS1, I'd change plugs period. 1 mile or 10 miles, I wouldn't care. At least I know when it came time to change 'em again, I could turn and voila, they would actually come out.

Thanks for your help, my buddy suggested WD40/PB Blaster but I don't see how that would get into the threads in the least bit.

yak

iTrader: (15)

well PB blaster is some strong stuff. I pulled my plugs last week. there were in pretty good. my car has 81k miles. i used a 3/8 ratchet with a 19 inch pipe over the end to break some of them loose. push slow and gradual and make sure that the force is directed straight to the plug, not at an angle. i'm sure with my strength and a bad angle I would bust the **** out of a plug.

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

Got the driver's side done. My neighbor mechanic came over and helped knocking them loose, he said it was the toughest damn plugs/bolts he's ever knocked loose LOL. Especially #7, holy ****, it took both of us taking turns to finally get it to ******' knock loose.

Can't wait for this bullshit to be over with LOL. I shoulda waited till I got headers but no telling when that'll be. Passenger side, here I come.

gwj

I don't suppose after all this you put any anti sieze on the new plugs, hmmmm?

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

Of course I did, I don't wanna go through this **** again.

Passenger is 2x as much of a bitch, talk about no room to turn a ratchet, Jesus Mcjumpinjack Christ.

I figured GM woulda given us some room in the fenderwell so we could remove the wheels and have some access.

SiRgReg23

get to the last plug on the pass side underneath the car

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, I gave up today LOL. I got driver's side done except for AIR tube gasket, gotta get them at the dealership tomorrow.

As far as passenger side, we got the front two loose but we're(me and my neighbor) gonna weld together a socket because there's not enough room to fit the 2-3" extension on the #6 plug and, well, LOL, #8 is a no brainer from the top.

So it looks like tomorrow, we're making the tool and jackin' the car up and attempt to get those back two knocked loose and put back in.

Next time should be a breeze since it won't take all day just to get the plugs out of the damn heads haha. What an experience, to say the least. My hands look exactly like InstallUniversity said they would.

Thanks for the help, guys.

SiRgReg23

put on long tubes ..... makes changin plugs a breeze

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, they are coming as soon as a job does LOL, or as soon as I tell my 79 TA.

ALZ28

Hi, Noticed on your sig you use Autometer tach & shiftlight,which model and part numbers? did you have to get the voltage changed or did it work out of the box?
Thanks

TroubledWine3

iTrader: (3)

How bad would it be if I left it like this for a little bit:

New plugs and wires on #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #7, and a new wire on #6, but left old #6 plug and old #8 plug and wire.

I have jacked the car up and attempted to go from the bottom and I can barely get my fingers on the boot of the #8. #6 is too deep past the exhaust manifold pipe to use a deep-well socket, yet too shallow because of the inner fender to use socket and 2" extension.

SiRgReg23

sent u a pm man hope that helps out

Phoenix 5.7

iTrader: (7)

if you take off the coil packs it really helps on the passenger side. headers make it really easy, did it in like 30min a few days ago. it is really hard anyway, think i had to use a breaker bar thign for 8

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

I would keep trying until finally able to change the rest of the plugs and wires -number 6, 8.

As mentioned already remove the two coil packs from the rear passenger side. Also try a boot puller. It took me about an hour -giving up, then trying again- to remove the boot from plug number 8. Try pulling from half metal shield half boot -don't pull on the wire- the boot will eventually come loose.

Best way to get to plug number 8 and 6 is from up top. the battery, -very careful radiator lid.


I see you said you used the installuniversity.com instructions and I do recommend them. But, their instruction say to remove the strut tower brace -if you have one- I did not and recommend you don't remove the stb. The stb came in handy when I was removing -struggling- with the number 8 boot. As you found out alread the exhaust manifold will scratch you like a mad ***** so be careful.

nikkev

Yep, on a 1998 you can't get the #8 plug from the bottom, have to get it from the top. Take off the AIR tube and last coil pack and you can fit your hand, a ratchet, and a swivel extension back there. You can't turn it very well, so if your plug is stuck it's going to be a struggle, but it WILL come off. Good luck!